Eye Masks from nodpod: Get a Better Night’s Sleep Today

Posted by Melissa Bamberg
on
October 20, 2014

How Much Sleep Do You Need?

In our busy lives, sleep sometimes seems like a real waste of time that could be spent accomplishing and enjoying other things. However, without it, the quality of our waking lives greatly decreases. A lack of sleep has been tied to decreased mental sharpness and productivity, difficulty handling emotion, reduced learning capacity, and even weight gain. It’s clear that we need sleep in order to function properly. But how much sleep do we need?

Why We Need to Sleep

To us, it seems like sleep is a time when we’re just shut off and incapable of doing other things. But while we rest, our brain and body are restoring themselves. During the deeper stages of the sleep cycle, the body is hard at work repairing and building tissue, muscle, and bone, as well as bolstering the immune system. It’s like getting your car serviced--if you ignore regular maintenance, eventually there is going to be a major breakdown. When you do get the sleep you need, your energy and productivity will rise, and you will find yourself getting more done in fewer hours.

How Much Sleep Do We Need?

Getting even one hour of sleep less than you need can make a huge difference in your cognitive function, cardiovascular health, and immune response. So figuring out how much sleep you really need is key. Most adults get between 6 and 7 hours of sleep, but this is not enough. These are the recommended sleep levels by age:

Newborn to 2 months old: 12–18 hours

3 Months to 1 Year: 14–15 hours

1 to 3 Years: 14–14 hours

3 to 5 Years: 11–13 hours

5 to 12 Years: 10–11 hours

12-18 Years: 8.5–10 hours

Adult: 7.5–9 hours

If you’re getting optimal levels of sleep, you’ll feel energetic all day long. Otherwise, you’re building up sleep debt, which can be just as hard to pay off as the financial kind. Sleep debt is the difference between the sleep you need and the sleep you get. There’s a common misconception that you can effectively deal with this by sleeping in on the weekends, but this only provides temporary relief. You may get an energy boost that morning, but the long-term effects of sleep deprivation will set in as the day goes on.

Essential Habits for Better Sleep

A good diet and exercise promote better sleep. If you’re one of the millions of people who doesn’t get enough sleep because they have trouble falling asleep at night, eye masks are one other potential solution. Eye masks block out sensory distractions and can also keep you from being woken up too soon by the onset of daylight. Weighted eye masks like the nodpod also promote the release of melatonin and serotonin, which helps calm you down and encourages your body to drift off. If you think eye masks might be the perfect sleep solution for you, contact nodpod today to order yours and start getting a better night’s sleep.